Corn-popper.



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W. A. STINB & G. A. MEALS. CORN POP'PER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 29,1909.

956,224 A Pand Apr, 26,1910.

- UNITED STATES PATE r are WILLIAM A. STINE AND CHARLES A. MEALS, 0FPEORIA, ILLINOIS.

coRN-PoPrEn.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

To all whom t 'may concern: A

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. STINE and CHARLES A. lVIEALs, citizensof the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCorn-Poppers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a corn popper and has for its several objectsthe provision of a popper-body having a perforated partition by means ofwhich at any time during conversion the popped corn can be separatedfrom the unpopped corn and held in a separate compartment so that itcannot become burned while the unconverted portions are being finishedover the fire, and also to provide the popper-body with an opening inone of its sides provided with a closure of netting and with which bothcompartments can communicate so that after the corn is all popped theunpopped grains can be sifted out through said closure; and also theprovision of a second opening in onel of its sides provided with aclosure of wire netting of fine mesh through which the chaff and smallforeign particles can be sifted without the kernels of corn passingthrough but this will be better understood in the followingspecification aided by the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is aperspective view of the popper. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one sideof the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side and Fig. t is avertical transverse section of the popper. i

A indicates the body of the popper of any desired form, preferablyrectangular, and made preferably of sheet metal though it may beconstructed of wire cloth as well. Secured within the body and parallelto its broadest sides B and C; which, in practice are its top andbottom, and preferably midway between them, is a perforated partition Dwhich may be of wire netting or a plate provided with suitable holes;the former being preferred. But whatever form is employed the openingstherein are of a size that the unpopped kernels of corn can pass throughthem but the popped or converted corn will be held back.

In one of the narrow sides E of the body Vways G, for a door is anopening F of the desired size the edges of the metal at two oppositesides of which are bent so as to provide suitable guideor closure IIpreferably a perforated one consisting for example, of a piece of wirenettin in the form of a slide adapted to move within the saidguide-ways, said closure lying close to the edge of the partition D atthe said opening F as shown in Fig. 4 so that neither of thecompartments created by the partition can communicate with one anotherexcept through the said perforations. The opposite side J of the body,as shown in Fig. 3, may also be provided with an opening K closed in thesame manner as that just described, by means of a closure L forated one,the perforations of which, however, are smaller than those of theclosure I-I. It is to be noted that both openings F and K communicatewith both compartments and the advantage of these will be understood bythe following: The corn to be popped having been placed in the body andboth sides being closed said body, by means of the handle indicated at Mis then turned on one side so as to place the opening K, beneath it. Theclosure L therefor permits chaff and small particles to be sifted out byagitating said body such chaff being thus eliminated and which if leftin the popper will be burned and thereby impart an unpleasant taste tothe finished converted product, and while provision is made for removingundesirable particles, the apertures are small enough to prevent thekernels of corn passing therethrough. After this operation is completedthe body is placed upon the lire and as-the lower compartment in whichthe corn is being popped becomes filled with the popped corn the body isinverted so as to place that compartment uppermost and thereby thepartition D becomes in effect a shelf on which the popped corn nowrests. As the body is agitated the unpopped kernels held among and uponthe popped product are shaken through the lat ter and fall into thelower compartment the relation of both the converted and unconvertedcorn being shown in Fig. et. The popped corn is now far from the fireand in no danger of burning or scorching and is therefore kept perfectlywhite and presents a pleasing appearance and will not have anundesirable or unpleasant smoked or burned also preferably a pery taste,but at the same time it is kept hot while the unpopped kernels are oncemore in position to undergo the desired conversion.

When the popping is finished the body is turned upon its side so as toplace the closure H beneath. Then by shaking the body all the burned andunconverted kernels of one compart-ment and the unconverted kernels fromthe other compartment are readily separated from the clean popped cornand discharged simultaneously through the guarded opening which iscommon to both said compartments. Either closure can then be withdrawnto expose the contents of both compartments the finished product canthen be delivered at the same time and at one one operation through theopening thus uncovered. 1t is evident, then, that since bothcompartments of the popper are exposed to and can communicate with boththe openings, sifting from either or both of such compartments througheither opening can be readily accomplished and by merely withdrawingeither one of the slides or closures both compartments can immediatelybe emptied at one operation. The depth of each compartment below theopenings .F and K is sufficient to hold the proper amount of corn to bepopped.

1t is not our intention to confine ourselves to the precise structureshown and described since equivalents may be provided without departingfrom the spirit and intent of the invention.

Our device is distinguished from others of its class in having no hingedsections to be opened thus making it of a simple and cheap form and onemore readily handled. Furthermore in having two compartments covered bya door each said compartment can be reached in one operation or in theopening of a single door, both can be emptied of their contentssimultaneously. Again, the two doors shown, in having different sizedperforations admit of sifting the kernels of unpopped corn or chaff inthe simplest possible manner.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. A corn poppercomprising a body for receiving the corn to be popped, an opening in oneof its walls, a closure for said opening and a perforated partition insaid body having a position substantially at right angles to saidclosure.

Q. A corn popper comprising a rectangular box shaped body for holdingthe corn to be popped, there being an opening in one of its side walls,a closure for said opening and a perforated partition in said bodyperpendicular to the closure anddividing the body into two compartmentseach of which is in communication with the said opening.

3. A corn popper comprising a closed body having an opening in one ofits walls,

a perforated closure for such opening through which to sift theunconverted kernels of corn, a perforated partition in said bodydividing it into two separate compartments and for separating the poppedand unpopped corn and holding` them in said separate compartment each ofthe latter having communication with the openin at. A corn poppercomprising a body of a single member consisting of a hollow closed body,a perforated partition therein dividing its interior space into twocompartments, there being an opening in one of the walls of said bodycommunicating with the compartments, the said partition extending acrossthe opening, and a perforated closure for said opening.

A corn popper consisting of a rectangular hollow body having an openingin one of its side walls, a closure for the same, a perforated partitionin said body lying parallel to its upper and lower sides and eX- tendingacross and sub-dividing the opening substantially as set forth.

6. A corn popper consisting of a rectangular hollow closed body havingan opening in one of its walls, av perforated closure for the same, aperforated partition in said body lying parallel to its upper and lowersides and having its edge extending across and sub-dividing the saidopening of one of the walls.

7. A corn popper consisting of a rectangular hollow closed body havingan opening in each of two opposite walls, closures for the openings, aperforated partition in said body lying parallel to its upper and lowersides and perpendicular to the walls having the openings and extendingacross said openings.

S. A corn popper consisting of a hollow closed body for receiving thecorn to be popped, there being an opening in one of its walls, aperforated closure for said opening, a perforated partition in said bodydividing the latter into two compartments, the same lying in a planesubstantially at right angles to the plane of the wall having theopening, both said compartments communicating with said opening.

9. 1n a corn popper a ,hollow closed body for containing the corn to bepopped, there being two openings the-trein, a perforated closure foreach of saidlopenings, the perforations of one of the said closuresbeing larger than those of the other, and a perforated partition in saidbody for dividing it into two compartments, both said openingscommunicating with one of said compartments. ,t

10. 1n a corn popper a hollow closed body for containing the corn to bepopped, there being two openings therein, a perforated closure for eachof said openings, the perforations of one of the said closures beinglarger than those of the other, and a perforated partition in said bodyfor dividing it into two compartments both said openings communicatingwith both said compartments.

1l. In a corn popper a hollow closed body having two openings therein inopposite walls, a perforated closure for each, the perforations of onebeing of a different size than those of the other, and a perforatedpartition in said body dividing the latter into two compartments, saidpartition eX- tending across both openings.

12. A corn popper consisting of a hollow closed sheet metal body havingan opening in one of its sides, a closure for the opening a perforatedpartition in said body dividing it into two compartments and lyingparallel to the upper and lower sides of said body and perpendicular tothe side having the opening, and extending across and sub-olividing saidopening, said partition together with the closure separating thecompartments and prevent their communication one with the other at theopening.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM A. STINE. CHARLES A. MEALS. Witnesses:

C. B. MCDOUGAL, L. M. THURLow.

